Family Album
by FantasyBard
Summary: Every family has it's own little quirks, it's own idiosyncrasies, it's own gifts that make each person special. A series of one shots illustrating Josef's family. When a family is immortal, it can make things complicated, but that also makes it much more fun.
1. Prologue

So, here it is: a new short story to herald in the new year. As I have hinted at before, this particular story is going to serve a specific purpose for my Moonlight universe. First off, in my Hawaii Five 0 crossover story with Moonlight, I am going to attempt something which I have always wanted to do, introducing Josef's turned brothers and sisters. I had very specific ideas for their characters and personalities, and how they would fit into the world of the two shows. However, I didn't want to start a new story with that, as I thought it would be a bit burdensome. So, I happened this idea of a series of one shots dedicated to introducing each of them. This is basically what this story is, and hence, the title: Family Album. I will have more author's notes at the beginning of each chapter (and there will only be three of them), to sort of set the scene and explain a few things.

Now that business is out of the way, I hope that you enjoy this little insight into Josef's family life, and what I hope will be some very interesting new characters.

Disclaimer: I do not Own Moonlight, Or Hawaii Five 0. I am making this story for my own pleasure and those of the people who read. There is no profit that I am making, so please don't come and sue me.

Prologue:

Christmas came to the valley of Los Angeles much as it did every year. The strange incongruities of wishing for a white Christmas whilst facing temperatures that could range into the lower nineties was all part of the charm of a coastal Christmas. For the vampire population of the city, it was as much a celebration as for the humans. At the mansion of the Elder, Josef Koston, the spirit of the season was in full swing.

Karlie, Josef's wife, had always been a veritable child when it came to Christmas. She absolutely loved decorating the mansion, and every year, it was some sort of different theme. Josef mainly allowed her to handle that aspect of the Christmas season. He just stood back and enjoyed watching her. Since turning Karlie, he had realized in the past fifty years that he was actually enjoying the holidays again for the first time in nearly three centuries.

One particular night, in the study that led off of their bedroom, the two of them were lying by the fire, sipping glasses of brandy, mixed with blood. "I have to admit, Karlie, you've outdone yourself, this year." He said, as he looked around him at the bountiful displays of holly and yew which were hanging from available surface. Red berries were intertwined with the dark green, along with dozens of white lights.

"You say that every year." Said Karlie, with a smile.

"No, but I mean it this year. There's something rather poetic about this whole theme this year. It speaks of the simplicity of Christmas, without all the hype that so prevails the holiday."

"You said that for the Christmases of 1990-1997. You honestly don't think that I don't remember what you say?"

"So, I reuse old complements. You can't blame me, can you? I gave up trying to put your Christmas spirit into words and just decided to go with some words that sounded rather good." He paused and shot her one of his famous charming smiles. "Tell me, how was that?"

Karlie returned the smile and leaned forward to lean her forehead against Josef's. "That will actually work just fine."

Josef took the invitation and pulled her in for a kiss, moving her so that his body was positioned on top of her's. It was clear that things were moving to a romantic evening in front of the firelight, when the shrill ringing of the phone rudely interrupted them.

"Let it ring." Breathed Karlie, as she went for another kiss.

But the phone rang again, and though it may have been technically impossible, it almost sounded a little insistent. Josef sighed and disentangled himself from Karlie's embrace. "Hold that thought." He said, as he got up from the fireplace and headed for the phone. "Hello and this had better be good." His eyes widened with recognition, and a smile spread across his face. "Frederich, this is a surprise. What's the occasion, beyond the usual holiday greeting?"

Karlie got to her feet and sauntered over to the couch to sit down next to Josef, running her hand along his thigh. "Stop that." Said Josef, "What? No, Frederich, not you. It's Karlie, she's distracting me." He smirked when he heard what Frederich said on the other line and looked over at Karlie, "He says keep distracting me, but until he's finished what he has to say to me."

Karlie pretended. "Tell Frederich he's no fun."

"My wife says you're no fun, Frederich. So, what's the news out your way? Last time I was in Europe there were rumors that sounded troubling… Nothing's come of them yet, huh? Well, I always thought you Europeans were a little melodramatic when it came to that sort of thing…" He listened for a few more minutes and his face suddenly grew very interested. "Susan? No, I haven't heard from her in years, since before Pearl Harbor, I think… she's Sofia Richter now and what…?"

"What?" asked Karlie, rather curious as to what Josef was talking about.

"My sister, Sofia, she's just been elected Elder over the Hawaiian islands."

Karlie looked at Josef. "You have a sister who lives in Hawaii?"

"Older sister, by fifty years." Josef turned back to his conversation with Frederich. "I always thought that she was Elder material. When does she take power?" Josef listened for a few more minutes, and his face grew slightly surprised. "You want to get together a family reunion? With everyone? No, I don't have any objections; this is all just sort of unexpected. We haven't all been together since, when?... Well, I suppose that's true. We haven't all been together since Eric was turned… All right, send me the details, I'll get Mick and Beth on board too, I'm sure that they would love the trip. Beth's been hankering to try out her travel writing skills for that new blog she's working on. Yeah, bye Frederich, keep in touch."

He hung up the phone and turned to Karlie with a grin. He took her in his arms, and began to nuzzle her neck. "Now, where were we?"

This time, it was Karlie who pulled back. "You expect me to just start getting cozy with me after I just heard that conversation?"

"Karlie, you know that Frederich changed five other people, including me. Why should you be curious about them now?"

"I met your brothers in England during the 1970's, but you've never really told me anything about them, and your sisters are practically nonentities to me. And now you tell me that I might be meeting them in a few months? Can you honestly blame me for being curious?"

Josef sighed in mock exasperation. "Fine, if I tell you my sordid family history, would you let me make love you to by the fire place which you, by the way, planned in the first place?"

"Deal." Said Karlie, with a grin. "Now, start from the beginning and don't leave anything out."

"Of course not. But, you might want to get closer; this is going to be a long story."


	2. Sofia Richter

I always did like the idea that Josef had an older sister. So, I figured that this would be the perfect opportunity to pursue that idea. It's also our first real taste of Hawaii. It's not a complete picture, obviously, as I am still working on my ideas for this particular story.

Speaking of Hawaii, there is a slight crossover beginning here with Hawaii Five 0. I don't know how many of you who read Moonlight also happen to watch Five 0, but this is sort of an AU from the show itself. It takes place in the final episode of Season 2, Un Hala (Death in the Family). I'll tell what happens in the original episode at the end of the chapter. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this first little glimpse into Josef's turned family.

Sofia Richter:

Sofia Richter ad not been expecting to perform an act of mercy that night. She was to busy with her own life to become concerned with the lives of the humans who lived around her. Her recent election as Elder of the island of Hawaii meant that her former quiet existence had come to an end. She had been shuttled to several important locations around the island, meeting all the main leaders of the community. Hawaii was a diverse tribe. There were native born vampires who could remember a time when Hawaii was still an independent kingdom and untouched by mainlanders. There were still others who had come to Hawaii to find a place that was well protected from the machinations of humans.

It was a veritable melting pot, and potential problems were rife. There were factions on the island which could sometimes come to blows over territory and tradition. It took an Elder with age and experience to keep these factions in hand. The community on Hawaii had elected Sofia. The task had been a somewhat daunting one to say the least, but she was looking forward to the challenge.

Sofia was relatively low key for a vampire who had been alive for 450 years. Though she had more than enough to get by quite comfortably, she preferred to live a simple life. She was originally of German descent, and had been turned by a vampire named Frederich Braun. Frederich had often said affectionately of his eldest that she had finally worn down his objections with her unerring stubbornness.

Sofia was pretty, but not necessarily a drop dead gorgeous beauty. Her build was athletic, rather than voluptuous. She had blonde hair, though not necessarily of the golden, glowing variety. She had soft, blue eyes, with freckles across a great deal of her skin. Her mind was the keenest that could be wished. Indeed, one of the reasons she had wanted to be turned was so that she could achieve her full potential. As she was immortal, she had more than ample opportunity to expand her horizons in all directions.

Her life, then, was simple (at least, at least as simple as it could be), and she was happy. However, one particular night, her simple life would be turned upside down, by a choice that she would not be able to reverse. She was speaking to Frederich on the phone, for the first time since her election. "I can't tell you how proud I am of you, Sofia." Said Frederich.

"You don't have to, Frederich." Said Sofia, with a smile, "I can hear it all in your voice."

"I can also hear your quite exhausted." Said Frederich. "Hang in there, my dear, the first few decades are always the hardest."

"I hope you're right, Frederich."

"Which is why I'm going to suggest that we put off the reunion for another few months."

"I think it's a wonderful idea having the whole family back together. When was the last time that happened?"

"1924, in New York and then we didn't have Eric with us."

"Yes, I believe that all of have met, but it has been sometime since we last together."

"And I must warn you, Sofia. There have been some changes in the family dynamic. Eric has someone now, as does Ian, I believe. Even, dare I say it, Josef?"

"Ah, yes, Josef our ever and eternal playboy. I still can't get over the idea. I look forward to meeting the woman who was finally able to tie him down."

"She is truly remarkable, Sofia. You will get along with her wonderfully."

At this very moment, Sofia saw it. The lights were on, and from where she was sitting, she had a perfect view of what was happening in the house next door. A couple lived there, Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly of the Hawaii Police Department and his wife, a doctor named Malia. She knew them about as well as she thought she thought it wise to, but regardless, she knew them to be good people. Which was why, when she saw that Malia was duct taped to a chair in the dining room, and a man standing over her, holding a gun, she didn't even stop think of the wisdom of her next move.

"Look, Frederich, I'm going to have to call you back. Sorry." She hung up the phone without even waiting for a response. She raced to the back door, bounded over the fence which separated them, and crept silently up to the patio door. Malia looked absolutely terrified, but she couldn't make any sound as her mouth was taped securely. The man wasn't making any move to kill Malia, which Sofia couldn't understand. A cell phone rang, the gunman answered. He listened for a few minutes, nodded and hung up. He then raised the gun, and it was then that Sofia acted.

She charged into the glass door of the patio, shattering it into a hundred pieces. Completely taken aback by the unexpected interruption, the gunman whipped around. He fired off a few shots in Sofia's direction, but the vampires were too swift for him. She rolled several times, until she was in front of Malia. She then sprang to her feet, and threw vicious right to the gunman's face.

He stumbled back, but was quick to regain his balance. He fired off two rounds, both of them landed squarely in Sofia's chest. Had it not been for the fact that she was a vampire, she would have been instantly killed. However, the sudden, violent pain, and the smell of her own blood merely served to unleash her rage.

The gunman received the shock of his life when the wire, 120 pound woman in front of him suddenly sprouted a pair of vicious-looking fangs and her eyes grew silver with the gaze of death. She flew at him, and faster than the eye could follow, she dealt him blow after blow, each with a force that could shatter bone. Even had she given him a chance, he would have been unable to defend himself from the inevitable outcome. It was actually the work of only a few moments for her to smash in his skull, and he collapsed in a bloody heap on the floor, dead.

Panting, the adrenaline of the kill pumping through her veins, it took a moment for her to get himself under control. However, the dominant smell in the room was still that of terror, and it hadn't come from the gunman.

Managing to sheathe her fangs, and force her eyes to return to their mortal color, she turned her attention to Malia, the bound woman didn't seem to have had any idea what was happening. She was trembling, and the tears of fear were falling from her eyes. Strangled sobs were trying to get past the barrier of the duct tape around her mouth. "Malia, Malia, it's all right. It's me, it's Sofia." She said, as she carefully tore the tape from Malia's mouth and freed her hands.

Once she was free, Malia collapsed, sobbing and trembling. She might have slid to the floor, had not Sofia been there to catch her. Gingerly cradling the frightened woman, she whispered soothing words into her ear. "Malia, Malia, shh. It's okay. Everything's all right. You're going to be fine."

At last Malia was able to grasp some semblance of control, though she was still badly shaken. "Malia, what happened?"

"I don't know." Sobbed Malia, "I was making dinner for Chin, the next thing I know, I'm tied to that chair, and there's a man standing over me with a gun. He was going to kill me."

"Don't worry." Said Sofia, hoping that she could prevent her from descending into a panic-stricken state which wouldn't help her.

It was at this very moment that the time of them heard the sound of a car screeching to a halt outside the door. This was followed mere seconds later by the front door banging open and the frantic voice of Chin Ho Kelly, Malia's husband echoing through the house. "Malia? Malia, where are you?"

Malia scrambled to her feet and staggered towards the sound of Chin's voice. "Chin, Chin, I'm in here."

The moment, the sharply, defined, handsome features of Chin appeared. His face bore the exhausted agony of a man who had been through a hell of uncertainty. When he saw Malia alive, he froze on the threshold, a shocked expression on his face. It was almost as if he could not believe that she was actually alive. Then, that shock changed to stunned joy. He hurried forward and embraced her tightly, showering kisses on her face, eyes, lips trying to imprint of her living face, unto his still unbelieving mind. "Malia, Malia, baby. You're alive. You're okay. You're alive baby."

Sofia hung back from this scene, letting the husband and wife share their reunion. It was obvious that they had completely forgotten that she was in the room.

Finally, however, not even Chin could ignore the dead man lying in his kitchen or that Sofia was standing there, looking rather conspicuous by being in the right place at the right time. "Sofia? What are you doing here?"

"She saved my life, Chin." Malia explained, "She broke through the patio door right when I was about to be shot."

Chin looked at Sofia. "You killed that guy?" He was understandably skeptical. The gunman had outweighed Sofia by a good hundred pounds or so, all of it more or less pure muscle. Sofia wouldn't have been able to best him in all likelihood, if she hadn't been a vampire.

Sofia was suddenly beginning to wonder if she could have handled this better. She didn't necessarily regret saving Malia, but then again, the actual act of saving her would prove difficult to satisfactorily explain without revealing her true identity. "Oh, uh, I'm not entirely sure that I meant to." Said Sofia, "I mean, I saw something was going on in the house from next door. I couldn't just let her be killed. I suppose that the adrenaline took over."

"Yeah, amazing thing, adrenaline." Said Chin, who still seemed like he was having trouble believing her completely. But at the moment, since Malia was alive, he wasn't willing to argue the details.

"Oh, my God." Said Malia, as if remembering something. "He shot you. I saw him shoot you."

"He certainly tried." Said Sofia, glad not for the first time in her existence that vampires didn't bleed that much when they were shot. "I don't think that you were seeing everything quite right, Malia. You were under a lot of stress, after all. You were probably seeing the worst outcome because you were afraid that you were going to die."

Vampires, whether because of their immortal physiology or through some other weird fluke of nature, had a remarkable power of persuasion. Sometimes, this gift extended no further than making their feeding sessions relaxed for the donors. Others more generally had the power to manipulate emotions. Those were truly adept, like Sofia, could plant suggestion into other people's minds by the very way in which they spoke.

Malia immediately took up the idea and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I guess that must have been what happened."

Chin looked at Malia and then looked back at Sofia. Something about that last exchange made him curious. He could see something in Sofia's eyes as she spoke that made him wonder; it did not seem natural to him for some reason. But before he could think upon it any further, he heard the sound of sirens approaching. "That will be the police." Said Chin, "Someone in the neighborhood must have heard the gun shots and called them in."

"Will I get in trouble for this?" Sofia asked, looking a little nervous, "I just killed someone, and though I can't say I regret it-"

"Don't worry," said Chin, "I'll speak for you. It's the least I can do."

"I just hope that you can find out who did this." Said Sofia.

Chin held Malia's still trebling form closer to him, and his eyes grew hard. "Don't worry, I will find them."

* * *

About a week later, Chin Ho Kelly found himself standing outside the door of his next door neighbor. He finally understood. It had always struck him as strange that Sofia Richter had such odd habits. She was no trouble in the neighborhood, but she kept to herself, and not many other people really knew her all that well. She was mostly a night owl; he had come home late at night from assignments working the Five 0 unit, and had seen her lights on in the house. She had friends, but those also seemed to come late at night, and leave before the dawn had arrived. It was never as though she actually caused any trouble with her late nights. If Chin didn't have to work such late hours himself, he was fairly certain that not even he would have suspected it.

But there had always been something about Sofia which had struck him as different, something otherworldly, or supernatural. He had tried not to heed these thoughts. He was normally a rational person, and he knew that no one would really believe him or understand what he suspected should he tell them. But the night that Sofia had saved Malia, he had been certain that something was off. Sofia shouldn't have been able to beat that gunman to death, as the autopsy had shown that he had died of blunt force trauma to the head. He had also recognized the bullet holes that had been shot into her chest, but which she had walked away from as though they were there at all.

Chin had been thinking long and hard about how best to proceed now that he knew the truth of Sofia's identity. He had finally decided that the best way would be to go over, privately, and try to get the information from her own lips.

When she answered the door, she seemed a little surprised to see him. "Lieutenant Kelly, I wasn't expecting you."

"Hello, Sofia. I hope that I'm not interrupting anything, and please, call me Chin."

"No, you weren't." She stepped back and allowed Chin to enter the living room. "You'll have to excuse the mess. I wasn't expecting company." She said, as she hurried over to the coffee table in the living room and picked up two glasses which had been placed there. She spirited those glasses away to the kitchen before Chin could see that they contained a suspicious looking, dark red liquid, that didn't look exactly like tomato juice.

"So, what can I do for you, Chin? How is Malia? Is she all right?"

"Yes, she was badly shaken up, but she'll recover. She's strong."

"Do you have any idea who was behind it? I can't imagine anyone who would want to hurt Malia."

"It's a long story, but it was a former dirty cop who had a vendetta against me and Kono, my cousin. He gave me a choice between Kono's life and Malia's."

"Is your cousin all right?"

"Yes, she's fine."

"And the man who was responsible for it?"

"He's dead." Said Chin, after a moment. The subtext was clear. Chin had been the one who had been who had killed him. Sofia had seen that look in her existence to many times to miss it; she chose not to pursue it. She sensed that wasn't the real reason why Chin had come here this evening. "I don't think that I properly thanked you for saving Malia's life."

"You don't have to thank me, Chin. I have done nothing that I would take back."

Chin looked at Sofia for a long moment, and said, "Actually, I also came to tell you something. Are you aware of the legend of the talamaur?"

"I can't say that I am." Said Sofia, but Chin thought that he heard a slight pause right before she answered, not to mention that her posture had suddenly become more rigid. Her eyes had also taken a wary look.

"The talamaur is a legend that originated in Polynesia, and migrated over with the when they came to the islands. My grandfather used to tell me stories about them. They're undead demons who suck the life out of the living. They were stronger and faster than humans with abilities that were supernatural. My grandfather said that he had once encountered one, and that he had said he felt the talamaur was looking into his soul. It was an experience that he never forgot."

Sofia cocked her head, looking at Chin intently. "Sounds like your referring to what most haoles would say were vampires."

"Yes, that's what I was getting at."

"You're not honestly telling me that you believe these legends, do you?" said Sofia, and Chin had to give her credit; she didn't so much as bat an eye. However, he could see that she was looking at him closely, and he got the feeling that she was seeing a lot more than most ordinary people would. "There are no such things as vampires. Can you not imagine the chaos which would happen if every single person they bit actually became a vampire? They wouldn't be able to hide their numbers if that was the case."

"I didn't used to believe them." Said Chin, carefully, "I'm beginning to question it in light of some recent events."

For a long time, the two stared at each other, as if trying to determine what the other was thinking. Neither of them picked up anything that could be construed as a threat from the other, but there was some caution, as well as a great deal of respect. Finally, Sofia asked, "Why did you come here, tonight, Chin? Was it just to tell me an old story?"

"No, I came to tell you that I owe you. If it hadn't been for you, Malia would have died. In all the legends that I ever heard of the talamaur, or vampires, whichever you prefer to say, it all said that they were soulless, unfeeling monsters. I'm beginning to think that isn't true."

"It makes the story more interesting if the beast has a soul." Said Sofia, revealing nothing nor admitting to anything.

"Yeah, I suppose so. But, I still would like to know what could compel one of them to save a human?"

Sofia knew what he was asking her. And she answered him honestly. "When you can live forever, as they say vampires can, loss would never leave you. It seems to me that if I were immortal, I would want to prevent someone from going through that if I could prevent it. Is that satisfactory for you?"

There was a potent pause, before Chin said, quietly, "Yes, I understand."

"Then I will only say one other thing, Chin Ho Kelly. However, if you truly wish to do anything to repay, then you will give me this promise: what you have told me tonight must never be spoken to another living soul. You must tell no one what has happened here tonight, not even Malia or anyone else close to you. That is for the best."

"I give you my word." Said Chin, at last, "No one will know about it from me."

"Thank you." Said Sofia, "Well, this has been a most informative evening."

"Yes, it has." Chin said, as he got to his feet. He sensed that he was being dismissed, and now that he was aware of her true nature, he couldn't help but sense that Sofia was truly different from other humans. There was an aura of age and power about her that Chin could not ignore. It was obvious she was more powerful than she looked. Chin briefly found himself wondering just how old she was. But decided against asking. As Sofia had said, there were some things that were better off not being known. "Thank you for hearing me out, and thank you again for saving Malia. I wish you nothing but the best."

"And I wish nothing but the same for you." Said Sofia, sincerely.

Sofia knew that this was a fragile truce that she had forged with Chin Ho Kelly, and she knew that from that night on, she would have to be extremely careful what she said and how she acted. But she also felt that she had done right. Letting humans in on their secret was dangerous, but Chin she felt she could trust. Besides, he had never said anything explicitly.

However, she could not have known that her act of saving Malia nor the knowledge that Chin now possessed would have an impact upon her life, and the lives of countless others.

* * *

So, in the original Hawaii Five 0, Chin's wife dies. That kind of sucks in my opinion, as it seems that primetime shows today don't like the idea of a happily married couple surviving more than a season. I'm old-fashioned romantic, I like happy endings. And it does create the interesting tension of the fact is that now Chin knows what Sofia really is, but he also does feel in her debt because of the fact that Sofia saved Malia's life. That whole idea will play a pretty big part in the crossover I'm planning, which I am still searching for a neat title for. Please read and review. This is kind of a departure from some of my normal stories, and I would love to hear what you think.

Next chapter: We cross the sea to England, and meet Josef's two younger brothers, Eric and Ian Steele.


	3. Eric and Ian Steele

So, we know find ourselves in merry old England, and about to meet Josef's two youngest siblings. As with Sofia, there are a few things that need pointing out. First of all, Eric and Ian, along with their girlfriends (described in some detail, but not seen in this chapter), are loosely based on characters from an English TV drama called Being Human. It was a show that I had mixed feelings about. I really loved the actors, their characters and the way in which they intereacted with each other. However, the story was kind of a turn off for me. I am a bit odd in that I like stories about supernatural characters like werewolves and vampires. Unfortunately, those stories can also include things like demons and ghosts, which I have a very low tolerance for. So, I decided to take what I liked from Being Human, and remake the characters into this story. As the characters are only very loosely based off of Being Human, and I have made some substantial changes, it's not necessary to be familiar with the show in order to enjoy them. However, I would recommend maybe watching a few clips, as the show itself has several strong points, and if you want to know what the characters look and sound like, it's not a bad resrouce.

So, here is the next chapter of Fmaily Album. Enjoy!

Ian and Eric Steele:

Frederich's two youngest fledglings were unique among many vampire siblings. Most siblings went their separate ways, only occasionally crossing paths with others of their family. However, Eric and Ian had stayed together for nearly eighty years. They hadn't always roomed together, but they had always made a point about being in the same city.

Part of the connection between these two stemmed from the fact that Frederich had turned them both close together. Granted, a period of twenty years might seem substantial to humans, but when vampires lived centuries, two decades is a mere blimp on the radar.

Ian had been turned at the height of the horrors of World War I. originally an orphan from the streets of Dublin; he had no family to speak of but had found one in the army. A Captain by the time WWI had happened, he had advanced upon the German lines only to have his unit overrun, all his men killed and himself captured by the Germans.

He had been questioned and tortured for information, and after weeks without rescue he had been certain that he was done for. Until he had met a man he had not expected to find in a prison. A German Commander, who had treated him with compassion, and had recognized his intellect and good heart. Unexpectedly, he had become friends with the enemy.

As the days had passed, Ian had begun to get the distinct impression that whenever he came back from interrogations, bloodied, bruised and increasingly weak, the German Commander had grown more and more disturbed by it.

Finally, the Commander had had enough. Frederich had come to Ian's cell the night before Ian was to be executed. He had told him that he could save him from the firing squad and get him back to Ireland. During the escape, however, something had gone wrong. Ian didn't really remember much. He had been shot, and Frederich had been forced to carry him to safety. When he had awakened, it was in the new body of a vampire.

Ian had taken to his new lifestyle, as smoothly as had Frederich's other fledglings. He may not have chosen the life specifically, but he had found it to be a far better one than that which he had left behind.

Ian had been turned at the age of thirty-two. He was about six feet tall, fit and lean, without being overly muscular. He had curly, black hair, and green eyes, which always seemed to be dancing with the gleam of the famous Irish charm. And charm was something that Ian had in spades. His personality was laid back, and he delighted in the absurdities of life. Indeed, to Ian's mind, one should not take life so seriously when one was immortal. How else could one ever survive? Despite this happy go lucky attitude, however, Ian was also deeply caring and loyal. He was a good friend to have on your side, whatever the situation.

He was a good balance to his brother, Eric Steele. Eric was, in many ways, Ian's opposite. He was not really what could be called handsome. In fact, some, himself included, might have gone so far as to say Eric was rather comical-looking at times. He had short, black hair and big ears that stuck out from his head. The rest of his features (ears, eyes, mouth), all seemed to coincide to make Eric what could not be termed drop-dead gorgeous.

Yet, for all this, Eric did have some attractions, but it was in his manner rather than his looks. Eric was a sensitive, shy person, who could feel awkward among people he did not know, to say nothing of women. But when he was moved to speak, his voice was always steady and calm, his words eloquent, to the point where everyone would listen to him. He was unique amongst both humans and vampires. He could stop an argument in the middle, soothe an entire group of people with his very presence, and bring peace where there had before been strife.

Eric had good reason for turning out this way. His turning had been by far the most traumatic of all his siblings. Eric was Jewish, and he had been Jewish in Germany at the height of Hitler's power. Frederich had found him in the concentration camp of Dachou. Frederich had been searching for Eric tirelessly from his base in Switzerland. Eric had been near death, and Frederich had been forced to turn him in order to keep him alive. Eric still bore the scars, and he would for the rest of his existence.

So, whether it was because they had been turned in the midst of war and suffering, or some other strange circumstances, Eric and Ian had come to form a connection that not even sixty years had been able to sever.

They were now living in London. Ian worked at the National Portrait Gallery, as an art restorer. Eric was a writer and a teacher. As much as vampires could be, they led a relatively contented life. But recently a few new arrivals had served to liven things up.

It was a night, around 1:00am. Eric was in the flat that he shared with his brother. However, when Ian crashed in, it more or less spoiled his creative silence. "Hey, you still up, Shakespeare?" Ian's voice ran out from the hallway, using the nickname that he had used for Eric for nearly thirty years.

"Its 1:00am on a work night, I have a whole stack of papers to grade and a deadline to meet for my next book, of course I'm up."

Ian came into the living room, noting the papers that were scattered all over the large antique desk that was officially Eric's property (Ian had once made the mistake of rummaging around on the desk to look for a pen, upsetting Eric's OCD system of organization. Ian had been banished from touching the desk ever since).

"You want to complain about how the standard of writing and grammar has slipped even more since the last decade?"

Eric huffed and broadly gestured to the stack of papers he was grading. "I teach a group of incoming students about the glories of some of the most important works of early English literature, half of them aren't even bothering to read the material. Take this one that I'm grading right now. This student is utterly convinced that _Beowulf_ is about a werewolf who kills dragons, only because the name has the word wolf in it."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea for a fantasy novel." Eric shot him an exasperated glare. Ian held up his hands to indicate that he was innocent. "Hey, I'm just saying, you have to give some of the kids' credit for imagination. Go easy on the kids, Eric. They don't have your decades of experience. Besides, how many times have you been flown to the height of ecstasy because someone actually is improving?"

Eric sighed, saw back in his seat and rubbed his eyes. "You're right, I know. Just give me my right to moan about it, all right?"

"You look beat, Eric. Take a break. I'll bet you haven't looked up from those papers since you got up this evening you should take a rest before your eyeballs dry out and stick open."

Eric rolled his eyes, even as he got up to follow his brother into the kitchen for a glass of blood. "You know that's physically impossible."

"Considering your looks, I wouldn't want to take any chances, especially with that girlfriend of yours."

"We've been going steady for more than two years. You honestly think that my looks could scare her off so easily after all that time?"

"I don't know, mate. You can only rely on that starry-eyed, love at first sight romance thing you two claim happened only so long."

Ian and Eric were referring to Eric's girlfriend, Hannah Lasing. It had been the strangest thing. Eric's relationships with women over the decades had been sporadic and rather short-lived. Eric was rather shy when it came to the opposite sex, his normal eloquence fleeing to be replaced with tongue-tied awkwardness.

But with Hannah, it had been different. The two had met at the synagogue where Eric worshipped. He had caught sight of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman from across the room, and he had claimed that he had felt an instant, unexplainable connection with her. For a moment, nothing and no one else on the Earth had mattered. He had not known her name, but he had suddenly felt as though she was the most important thing on earth, the reason why he had been turned all those years ago. And yet, for all that, he still hadn't gotten up the nerve to talk to her for another two weeks.

Hannah herself had often said that she had experienced the same feeling of connection with Eric, and she was not even a romantic. She was a nurse with a no-nonsense attitude, and a straight forward, level-headed approach to life; she had been astonished as how quickly Eric's presence had managed to enmesh itself so firmly in her soul.

It was a source of infinite amusement to Ian, who had taken to naming it the Romeo and Juliet affair, as it contained all the elements of a clichéd, star-crossed love story. Not even he, however, could deny that it was there. How else could it be explained that whenever either Hannah or Eric walked into a room, the other always knew it, and that when they were in the same room, they seemed to automatically align themselves to each other? The oddest thing of all was that whenever Hannah was in trouble or sad, Eric always seemed to drop everything, and know exactly where to find her with uncanny accuracy.

It was no doubt odd, they all had to admit, but one which they had come to accept. Hannah was part of the family now; that meant she would be protected.

Eric shot a glance at Ian. "I'd be more concerned about my personal appearance if I were you."

"What do you mean?" said Ian trying to look innocent, and failing rather miserably.

"Oh, come on, you really think that I wouldn't notice." He took a step forward, deliberately invading Ian's personal space, and inhaled deeply. "I don't recall you having a fondness for wearing perfume, especially that particular brand by Dior. That scent only hangs in the air whenever _she_ comes around. Not to mention that silly grin you've had on your face for the past two weeks. That only happens when you happen to run into Agnes Morris, remember?"

"She's not Agnes anymore. She's changed it to Katherine Morrison, now."

"Wow, and you waited all of what, three weeks to jump each other in the back room of the National Gallery?" Eric's sarcasm was quite apparent when referring to the woman who had been Ian's main squeeze for the past seventy years. Though the two were not necessarily committed, and had other lovers in the time when they were apart, when they were together, it was difficult for them to keep their hands off of each other.

There had been a time when Ian had not been so law abiding as he now was. He had once been one of the most notorious and successful art thieves in the whole of Europe, stealing paintings, sculptures and jewels from both well-known and lesser known museums and galleries, even from a few private homes. The woman who was now called Katherine Morrison had been his accomplice in several of those acts. Apparently, the heady rush of pulling off a heist with a fellow art lover had sealed their fates, and it wasn't long before their relationship had progressed from partners in crime to partners in bed.

Katherine herself was about fifty years older then Ian. She shared his talent for charm and spunk, and had not a bit of sassiness about her. She was one of those people who always seemed to be smiling, and no matter how hard one tried, it was nearly impossible to make her lose her temper. She was dark skinned, with expressive black eyes and fine features. She was of about medium height, and moved with a level of grace that only could be found in one who was accomplished in the fine art of thievery.

Now, Eric actually did like Katherine a great deal. As all brothers did, he was merely having some fun at his brother's expense. After all, Ian had been doing it to him of the past two years. Turnabout seemed rather fair play to Eric in this instance.

"We did not jump each other in the back room." Ian objected, a bit defensively.

"Snogged though. And you have shagged. I can smell her on you."

"All right, a few hours at her flat tonight. You happy now?"

"I thought that you looked quite happy when you came in tonight. You'll be even happier when you hear who called while you were out."

"Oh, really, who?"

"Frederich."

"Frederich? Haven't heard anything from him in a few decades. What did he have to say?"

"He wanted to issue an invitation. Sophia's been elected Elder of Hawaii."

"Hawaii?" whistled Ian, "That's a good gig. White, sandy beaches, stunning vistas, crystal clear oceans…"

"With some of the best surfing in the pacific." Eric finished with a grin. Surfing was one of the things that the two of them shared a passion for. The last time that they had been living in Ireland, they had made it a point to get out to the oceans and surf regularly.

"Frederich's inviting us all over to Hawaii in the next couple of months, a sort of family reunion."

"Everyone? Josef and Mags as well?"

"Maggie actually's been living in Hawaii since after the War. Josef's going to be there, as well, along with Karlie. They're going to be bringing what Frederich calls friends of the family."

"Well, the more the merrier. Do us both a favor, Shakespeare, and accept it. It'll be good for both of us, not to mention our ladies."

"Katherine and Hannah haven't even met yet. How do we know that they would get along on a vacation?"

"Oh, come on give them an hour and they'll be calling each other sister."

"Women only call each other that after they've called each other a lot of other things first." Eric groaned, "Great, now we're quoting Oscar Wilde to each other. We really do need to get out anymore."

"Good, than we'll get some time apart on a romantic island getaway. Call Frederich and accept, or I'll be doing it for you."

Eric shot him a grin, as he sat down at the desk to resume his work. "Actually, I already did."

Ian sighed dramatically and flopped down on the couch, switching on the telly as he did so. "Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be able to keep up with you."

"I wouldn't try, Ian, I wouldn't try."

* * *

And just to clear up a few things that you might be wondering about:

Yes, Eric and Hannah are bonded, but they do not realize just what is happening to them. That will be a big part of their story for my Hawaii Five 0 cross over.

I wanted to experiment a little bit with vampires who have a specific religious affliation. Eric and Hannah are jewish, while we will learn in Hawaii Five 0 that Katherine and Ian are Anglican. I think that's an element that not many vampire stories seem to address, and I know that if I were going to live forever, I would need something to center me.

Anyway, that is all for this chapter. I hope that some of the seeds which were planted continue to whet your appetite for future stories. Please read and review.

Next chapter: Josef's final sibling, Maggie O'Hara is next introduced. We again move to Hawaii, and on a certain night when Maggie finds herself called upon to comfort an old friend, specifically named Max Bergman.


	4. Maggie O'Hara

Firstly, I must issue an apology for the rather too long wait between chapters. I had a great deal of trouble with this particular chapter. I had one idea, then I didn't like it. Then, I got writer's block, until I finally came upon this chapter in a new form. I still don't know if it's the best that I have ever written, but I think that it gets the point across that I was trying to make. Whoever says that writing fan fiction is simple obviously hasn't tried to do it.

Anyway, this is again a slight beginning cross over with Hawaii Five 0. There are mild spoilers for the Season 2 episodes, I Helu Pu (The Reckoning), Haʻalele (Abandoned), and Ua Hala (Death in the Family). I hope that you enjoy it.

Maggie O'Hara:

Margaret O'Hara was a relative new comer to island of Hawaii. She had only been living there since the late 1940's, and then dividing her time between there and the mainland. She also looked somewhat out of place amongst the tanned and glamorous bodies so often associated with Hawaii's pristine beaches and warm tropical weather. A good deal of that had to do with the fact that she was a vampire.

Margaret, or Maggie, as she preferred to be called, hailed originally from Ireland. Turned during the infamous potato famine by Frederich Braun, she had been saved from a fate that could have been worse than starvation. Her turning had come with a price. Desperate to obtain money and food for her family, she had taken to selling her body and blood on the streets. Oh, she knew of vampires, as did many Irish children from an early age. In a land where the lines between myth and reality were as blurred as the fog which seemed to permeate the very air, the acknowledged existence of vampires was widespread, if only in superstition.

Maggie had only stumbled upon that world when she had been sixteen, when she had first started her life as a blood slave. She had been fortunate. Her handler or pimp, whichever it might be called, was kinder than others of his ilk, which would come before and after. He actually provided the essentials of clothes and food for the girls under his control. Some unfortunate blood slaves barely even had this. Most were treated as nothing more than merchandise, sold and used until they literally became drained on their will to live. Maggie was treated as a valuable investment: valuable to be kept alive, but not worthy of respect as a living being.

Maggie was paraded in front of potential vampire clients, her arms and neck often pricked so that her blood could be sampled, often in a matter that was rough and made her feel utterly dirty afterwards. Most of the vampires she modeled for were not the refined, civilized vampires who at least tried to make the feedings pleasant, even if they cared little for the humans afterward. These had been brutes, more interested in getting a quick drink, fired by the intoxicating taste of sexual climax.

She had tried to survive as best she could, because even though she was being continually submitted to humiliation and abuse, she had always been spirited. There was something in her that refused to be broken. It was this spirit which had first brought her to Frederich's attention. One night, while she had been returning home, she had been attacked by a group of young vampires who had been to the brothel earlier that day.

They hadn't had enough to pay for anything more than a basic feeding. Not they wanted more. Just as they had been moving in to take her, they had been stopped by Frederich. The older vampire's age and ferocity had quickly driven the group of young miscreants away. Frederich had, from the start, treated her with kindness and respect. Something in her spirit spoke to him, and so he had freed her from the life of slavery she had been living.

However, Margaret felt that she had been to drastically changed by her experiences in the blood slavery ring to ever be able to return to her family. Frederich had taken it upon himself to protect her. She had the smell of blood slavery about her, and without the proper protection, she could possibly be reclaimed, and this time he was certain that she would de.

She had agreed, on one condition: he provide the money for her family's passage to America. Frederich had done this without batting an eye. It will suffice to make a long story short that Frederich eventually turned Maggie. Of all his turned family, she was the one who had stayed with the longest after her turning. She had needed to learn the true lifestyle of a vampire, after having gotten such a bitter taste of their dark side.

Now, nearly 170 years later, Maggie had regained her happy, energetic outlook on life. She was petite and small of stature, with delicate, pixie-like features. Her black hair was short and wavy, and her eyes were laughing and dark. She had an inordinate amount of energy, yet had an eye for detail. Many of her colleagues wondered how she could pull through so many night shifts in a row, and still be so perky when the sun was about to rise. They just assumed that she was probably just addicted to caffeine in some form or another.

As most vampires do, she had lived in many different places over the years, but she had become attracted to the unspoiled beauty of Hawaii in the late 1940's. Hawaii was also an island that had become a major target for human trafficking. Though it was kept well concealed and there were few outside of law enforcement who knew of it, Maggie had seen enough in her decades of living there that it was a place where such evil reigned. Knowing the humiliation of slavery herself, she had dedicated her life to doing what she could to end the suffering of others, if only in small ways.

To that end, a few years before, she had gone to medical school on the mainland in order to pursue a career path of forensic pathologist. She knew that many people who went through the human sex and labor rings rarely lasted for more than a few years. She wanted to be able to spot those who had died in such a way, and give the police clues to finding out where those rings were. Plus, she had always had a fascination with the human body. It actually proved to be an ideal career path for her, as when she returned to Hawaii, she was placed in a vital position in the vampire community. Having someone on the inside of the morgue that could get the blood from dead bodies for outside vampire consumption was a vital part of any community.

And it was during her work as a forensic pathologist and unofficial provider of blood for the island's population of vampires, that she had met again Max Bergman. She had first met Max at the university which they were studying at. They had been in all of the same classes together, and the two of them were physically the same age. The two of them had quickly become friends, bonding over a shared love of Star Wars, Star Trek and other strange fascinations that would not necessarily have struck many as more off-putting than as a foundation for building friendships.

Luckily, she had never needed to be cautious of her own secret. Max already knew about it, as he was working part time as a freshie in order to put himself through school. The idea of the interplay between human blood and vampire physiology struck him as endlessly fascinating.

Max, being the innate genius that he was, had gone immediately from school to the job of Chief Medical Examiner in Honolulu. Maggie had stayed on at the University in a residency program, before she had returned to the island.

The first time that she met Max Bergman again had been a fundraiser that was being thrown by the Governor of Hawaii. As this was first her first social event, she really didn't know anyone there. So imagine her surprise when she just happened to bump into Max, quite literally.

She had been going one way, and he had been going the other, neither of them thinking to look where they were going, until Maggie bumped into Max's shoulder, and Max startled, inadvertently stepped on her foot. "Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am."

"No, it's entirely my fault. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going." She stopped abruptly when she saw who he was. "Max? Is that you?"

"Maggie?" said Max, pleasantly surprised once he recognized her. "What are you doing on Hawaii? I didn't that you had moved here."

"I just did. I've only been here a few weeks. This is for the first time I've been out of the house for anything other than work."

"You're working here?"

"Yes, I actually think the same hospital as you. I wonder that we've never crossed paths."

"Considering your natural aversion to sun, and your ability to work night shifts. It's probably that we've missed each other." Said Max, "However, I am glad that we've had a chance to encounter each other. May I say you look very nice this evening?"

"Oh, thank you. So do you. This is the first time that I've seen you in a tuxedo."

"Thank you, but I admit to finding such formal wear as this constricting. I'm glad that I only have to wear it for special occasions."

"I hear you and completely agree. But this is an improvement from what centuries part. At least I don't have to wear a corset with this."

The two of them got to talking, and eventually decided that the fundraiser atmosphere was a little to formal for their unique form of reminiscing. So, they had left the fundraiser and had gone to an all night pancake diner, and they had whiled away the time talking and chatting, until an emergency call had taken him way. However, they had made an agreement that they would meet there regularly.

Their relationship soon progressed to the point where Maggie was the one that Max turned to when violent events from his past came back to haunt him.

Max had been an abandoned child. His unwed mother had left him at St. Martins', a well-known safe haven for unwanted children. When had Max had tired to find his out who his real mother was, he had found out that she had been a victim of the Trash Man, a brutal serial killer who had killed six women in Hawaii from 1985 until 2009. He had been known to suffocate his victims, binding them and dumping their bodies along the side of the road.

A man by the name of Richard Branch had been arrested for one of the murders, and everyone assumed that he was now behind bars. Max had thought the same thing. He had wanted to go to prison, and meet the man who had murdered his mother. But, after meeting him and hearing the accused man's story, Max had become convinced of his innocence, and had started to look into the Trash Man to try and see a connection.

The real Trash Man had turned out to be the rector of St. Martins', a man named McKenna. He had been one of the babies left at St. Martins', but he had not been as fortunate as Max in finding a loving family like the Bergmans. He had been passed from one abusive foster home to the next, which had forever scarred and twisted his mind. His first victim had been his own mother, killing her and leaving her on the steps of St. Martins', like the trash he had come to believe he himself was treated.

Max had come to Maggie's house that night to tell her how he had encountered McKenna and what had happened as a result. He had showed up on her front door, looking so sad and lost that her hear immediately went out to him.

"I went to the church wondering if I could get some answers on my own, and he managed to knock me unconscious." He told her, as they were both sitting on the couch in her house. "When I woke up, he had had me tied up in the same way that he did his victims, and he… he talked to me."

"What did he tell you?"

Max swallowed hard, trying to hold back his tears. "My mother, he said, that she came back to look for me. She wanted to know what happened to me, maybe how to get in contact with me. That was how he found her. He told me that the two of us were alike, that he was just like me. He said that I should be able to understand him."

Maggie could hardly believe what she was hearing. For a moment, she got so angry that her eyes flashed silver and she growled, "How dare he been think that. That's crazy. I could almost kill him for saying that too you."

"I already did." Max's voice was so quiet, that it would have been difficult for a human to catch. "I already killed him."

"You… you killed him?" Maggie reported, more in shock than in condemnation. Max was the last person to ever want to use violence on anybody. Like herself, part of the reason why he had become a forensic anthropologist was so that he could bring to justice the people who committed violence for a living.

"Chin and Kono came to the church, where he was holding captive. When he heard them carrying, he left the room for a moment. I saw that there were some large pieces of glass on the floor which I managed to use to cut myself free. After he came back, though, he tried to kill me because he was so angry. I still had the piece of glass in my hand. And I… I had to do what I had to defend myself. "

It was obvious that the confession was difficult for him, and that the memory was causing him a great deal of pain. Maggie couldn't blame him. She had taken a few lives in her own time. It was hard to live for eternity with a vampire's strong predatory instinct and not take a life. But for someone like Max, even killing in self-defense, to say nothing of defending one self against a crazed serial killer, would leave a mark.

Maggie put a had on Max's shoulder, and she said, in a gentle voice, "Max, you know that he was lying. You're nothing like him. What you do helps people, you don't hurt them. You're the kindest, most gentle man that I have ever met and I think you know that I've met a lot of men."

"I can't forget it." said Max, after a moment. "I've only ever seen the after effects of violence. I never dreamed what it would be like to do it myself. I know how destructive a piece of sharp glass can be. I felt it slice through his skin like melted butter. I could see in my mind, all the organs and tissue that the glass cut through. And the look on his face, I can't describe it. But it sent chills down my spine." He looked at her, "How do you do it? You've told that you have had to kill people in the past. How do you move on from it? How do you forget it?"

Max was asking some pretty loaded questions. Maggie knew why she could move past the inevitable flood of emotions that came with taking a life, but how to explain vampire morals in human terms was something else entirely.

"My advice is that you shouldn't try to forget it. Taking another life, Max, it's not something that you're ever supposed to get over easily. You need to remember what you felt when you took a life, because that's the only way that you can hold onto your humanity."

It was around this point that the two of them began to realize that their relationship was starting to change; they were beginning to develop feelings for each other. They both knew for certain, however, when one of them nearly died. Maggie got the message when she was just coming off her shift at the hospital. Violence had erupted in the highest echelons of HPD. A captain had been murdered, and when Five 0 and Max had arrived at the scene to investigate, Max had been shot.

The news had caused her to go frantic with worry. She had barely slept that day, constantly waking up every half hour and checking her phone to see if there were any messages from the hospital. Finally, as evening fell, she went to see Max herself. She came softly in his room, and saw him lying there. He looked very fragile and weak. According to what she had learned, he had lost a great deal of blood.

Her stomach clenched as she realized how easily she could have lost him. She would never have been able to swap autopsy stories, speaking in what no doubt most people would have considered a foreign language. They would never have pulled all nighters when they were off, watching Star Wards. She would never have seen that goofy smile of his again.

She had thought that Max was asleep, and she had been so lost in thought that she didn't notice that Max was notice that Max had opened his eyes, until he spoke.

"Maggie?"

"Max, I thought you were asleep."

"I'm about there. They've given me enough pain killers in my system to put me out for a week."

Maggie went over to sit at his bed side. "How are you feeling? I was told that you had been shot in the abdomen. The bullet pierced one of the major arteries. And you had massive internal injuries."

"That's true. Luckily, the surgeons managed to repair the damage before it came life threatening." Maggie could tell that Max was tired if he wasn't going to go into a detailed analysis of his own injury. However, he still managed a smile, and said, "I'm really glad you're here."

Maggie returned the smile, "I'm just glad you're safe. I can't describe how I was feeling when I found you had been shot. I was so frightened. I don't know what I would have done if you had died."

For a few minutes, neither of them said anything, but looked into each other's eyes. They both seemed to sense that their relationship had taken a definite turn. They were not friends anymore, they were something more. On an impulse, Maggie leaned forward and gently kissed Max's cheek.

"You know you shouldn't have done that." Said Max, "Physical displays of affection in my fragile state of health could very well carry a risk of infection."

Maggie found herself laughing. "There's the Max I know. Do you want me to take it back?"

"No, I think I'll take the risk."

"Well, I should leave you to get some rest. I'll come by tomorrow evening."

"Maggie, after I'm out of the hospital, would you… would you like to go on a date with me?"

Maggie grinned, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

It wasn't an epic beginning to a romance doomed to tragedy. Then again, it did not need to be. Sometimes, it was best to just forget questions of vampire and human, and just concentrate upon what really mattered: two people falling in love, and taking the first step together.

* * *

Max is one of those characters who sort of grows on you after awhile. Now, I have to admit that I sort of think Max is kind of cute in an oddball sort of way. For those of you have seen Season 3, Max does get a girlfriend, but since my Hawaii five 0 story is AU for season 3 anyway, I figure that I can put in a few ideas of my own.

Again, sorry for the long interval in between chapters. However, now that this sort of set up story is over, I will hopefully soon be posting both stories simultaneously. I have several great ideas, and I can't wait to hear what you all think of them. But for right now, please read and review. Look for Secret of the Phoniex and Moonlight Over Paradise.


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